The invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim 1. A device of this nature is known from WO 9603031. A drawback of the known device is that for some animals the period of residence in the milking stall may be short, so that they cannot be fed with sufficient concentrated feed. This means that additional concentrated feed then has to be given, for example in feeding boxes which are positioned separately from the milking device and in which the animal has to be identified again This requires a separate device, with an additional relatively expensive identification system, thus constituting a drawback.
The object of the invention is to eliminate this drawback, and to this end the device is designed in accordance with the characterizing feature of claim 1. By identifying the animals prior to milking and guiding the identified animal to a feeding stall and feeding it further in that stall, it is possible to make efficient use of the milking stall while obviating the need for an additional identification system. Also, the identified animal can be guided direct to the feeding stall without having to visit the milking stall.
According to a refinement, the device is designed in accordance with claim 2. In this way, animals which have been milked can easily be guided past the feeding stall.
According to a further refinement, the device is designed in accordance with claim 3. In this way, the animal which has been fed can leave the feeding stall without affecting the movement of other animals which have left a milking stall.
According Go a further refinement, the device is designed in accordance with claim 4. This ensures that a feeding stall is generally available for animals which have been milked after the end of the milking operation, so that a waiting time in the milking stall is as far as possible avoided and the milking stall can be used as efficiently as possible.
According to a refinement, the device is designed in accordance with claim 5. In this way, it is possible to use a single identification system to request or record all the information which is to be assigned to a specific animal.
The invention also comprises a method according to claim 6. This allows the milking stall to be utilized as efficiently as possible for milking and feeding.
A further refinement to the method is given in accordance with claim 7. The fact that the animals are already being fed in the milking stall while they are waiting for the feeding stall to become available prevents an animal which has been milked from becoming agitated.
Another improvement to the method is given in accordance with claim 8. This ensures that the milking stall is used as efficiently as possible for milking.